Hard-wearing, stylish, warm tweed waistcoats are bought not only by the older generation who adore fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation like Victorian gentlemen but also by the youth. What is surprising enough, the conservative trend fitted in the everyday life of metropolis harmoniously. Tweed waistcoat gained the affection in the streets and now it wins popularity in offices gradually.

Tweed waistcoat in men’s wardrobe

When we speak the word “tweed”, we almost always mean British check, an original pattern which is produced of thick woollen thread by hand on the weaver’s loom. The thread is made with the help of intertwinement of five kinds of yarn in dimmed colours. Depending on singularities of pattern and texture there are different kinds of tweed: Harris, Donegal, Petipa, Chevoit, Herringbone and so on.

Tweed is beloved in England for more than 100 years, and there are special ingrained rules, how to wear combinations of tweed clothes with other items.

Waistcoat in classical khaki colour Harris is usually worn with any light-toned shirt with corduroys, jeans and any sole-coloured straight traditional cut trousers.

Grey colour of Donegal tweed is more formal and appropriate for modern office. In representative offices of big companies many employees wear waistcoats of Donegal tweed combining them with ties of the same material laced with silk.

Blue, dark-brown and green herringbone tweed waistcoats are also popular. It is recommended to wear them with white shirt and formal dark tie.

Harder Chevoit would be more pertinent for an outing. This kind of fabric is associated with sport style.

Thought-out shoes will add dynamism in conservative tweed combination. One of the last tendencies are chino, hiker or brogues in combination with tweed jacket, waistcoat or three-piece suit.

Tweed — a favourite of the active women

Under the slogans of emancipation and gender equality women appropriated a lot of items from men’s wardrobe giving them something new and original. In more recent times designers of many well-known brands try to integrate tweed in rich legacy of youth subcultures. Sensational collections Chanel and AnnaSui offer women colourful tweed waistcoats in hippy stile combining them with flared trousers or mini-skirts with gaiters or stable heeled shoe boots. Effective combination of tweed waistcoat with coloured Fendi leather evokes memories of golden times of punk fashion inspired with ideas of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm Mclaren.

Designers recommend businesswomen to pay attention to short-cut tweed waistcoats and tight pencil skirt. If dress-code of the company allows, one can add loose trousers in Marlene Dietrich style or skorts below the knee. Accessories should be in a couple of tones darker than a waistcoat.

The last thing to mention is a modern tendency of creating of capsule wardrobe based on multi-purposed items, with the help of which the greatest number of stylish combinations can be formed. Tweed waistcoat can be at the forefront of both men’s and women’s casual fashion giving space creative ideas. Regardless of your way of living, according to the rules of good form one should have three — four capsule wardrobes based on one waistcoat.